Pages

Thursday, March 23, 2017

Here is the early issue from Facets April 2017, a series of articles "Women of Faith"

I am on of the interviewees. Please enjoy. It's rather interesting for me to read about me from the reporters perspective. Remember, I am the only Bhikshuni in Iowa. She did a good job considering it's the first contact and she new nothing about me before that.

Thursday, January 12, 2017

My sympathies for your plight. As Vinaya Sangha we support life, but when we see such wretched suffering in our dear companion pets, we are as torn as any one else would be. It's grief, very powerful and painful for our pets are sentient beings.

I had always had sympathy for pet owners facing a crisis in healthcare for their pets, especially hospice and eventual euthanasia. Many laypeople are so judgmental, and when not faced with having a pet whom they love dearly suffer so, make it harder to provide a release of life.

Also our deep understanding of Vinaya makes it a painful choice, but regarding pets it's not a breach of Parjika because that only refers to human beings. And the intention of euthanasia is to release from suffering, a suffering in life due to terminal illness reducing the quality of life so much that water, food and compassionate touch can't reach your pet to comfort them.

It hurts you, because they hurt so much. For those of you holding Bodhisattva ordination, it makes it imperative to act compassionately. It's a misinterpretation to view euthanasia in pets as breech when it is not. It would only be a breech if you kill an animal for no reason. If you are protecting others or yourself from them it's allowed (for your human life and others is precious, live more days to pass along Buddha Dharma). If you kill in anger or some other kind of emotion it's a breech. If you kill because it's an accident it's not a breech, but a fault of skill, that you must remedy as best you can.

Euthanasia is compassionate, it's not you doing it, it's the doctors, it's not you supporting killing, it's you supporting the end of needless suffering in your beloved pet.

Sunday, April 10, 2016

I read with disgust at first in the Karmans of the Creation of Virtue in a footnote about encouraging monastics to be healthy, eat healthy and maintain a healthy body weight. Indirectly it felt like a judgement without having the facts at hand.

It was just a good supportive comment but it raises important issues about health and imagery of the Sangha who are also subject to various outside influences, either through their own media groups or their laity or even from their own perceptions regarding health and body weight.

The classic imagery of Sangha are thin bodies with no fat, no hair, no facial hair, and no body hair. However, across all races and genders there are rich variations of human forms among us. But directly and unspoken are the ideal forms.

Bhikshuni Sangha have it wrong in most Asian cultures with their bound breasts or in an effort to look like the ideal male form very thin and flat chested, no doubt they were influenced by the imagery of the past showing bhikshuni without breasts.

In the West women are not going to push their breasts under layers of vests that are 4 sizes smaller so their breasts don't show in their robes. There are not a lot of women who are small chested here, many thin with big breasts and many fat with small breasts or variations of both.

In Asian many women already were used to breast binding and it carried into their robes. In Europe women even do not wear western bras replacing them with camisoles and vests instead. The culture of breast binding is ancient and with our level of education on body imagery is just harmful to our young women and laity who have girls.

Right now, I am large and most of the time I used one sports bra or one bra, not two or three at once, and not 4 sizes smaller than what I need. During training, my bra was tossed in favor of layers of vest and t-shirt plus a short outer shirt and pants covered by a long vest. I was not happy, I missed my bra, it was expensive and fit my small breasts giving me the needed support the bramaker said I needed.

The robes have to be changed to accommodate modern healthier practices. Bra or no bra, breasts are a mark of women that we should not have to bind flat to look like men or boys. We are not Greek kori figures after all.

The Greek kori statuary forms come to mind, along with stylized imagery in classic silk screens and paintings of Sangha. Historical references rarely show the variation in form of the actual masters they are said to depict.

The thin emaciated form is highly sought after by laity and Sangha. This causes problems in health and distractions from cultivation when monastics are encouraged to be thin yet eat like pigs at meal times. How on earth are you to keep healthy when eating beyond your natural capacity or willingness?

It seems that laity have been on this awful bent, concerning their own weight issues. It seems that the donors are equating a good virtuous Sangha member as a walking skeleton, because if thin then the practice must be demanding and therefore a sign of virtue. Thus the motivation of Sangha to remain unusually thin to gain the benefit of donors to stay alive.

I've seen first hand the harmful practices mirror the eating disorders of laywomen and girls, also extremes of ascetic practices that laity often praise bring more health concerns.

I'm not saying people in robes are doing this on a large scale, thank goodness. But unfortunately in various ways the laity are singing the praises of those that stay unusually thin, while equating this with a good practice. There is an alarming trend now in Pure Land to go on 10 day fasts to see Amituofo and the Pure Land. It is closely aligned with a current master known as Ven. Jing Kong an elderly monk in the Pure Land tradition. He preaches about the Dharma Ending age and many of his followers both Sangha and laity are practicing extreme asceticism in their over excitement.

I can't support such activities because they are not what the Buddha taught, particularly when Buddha always and often said practice was according to the middle way, not asceticism. This is the one big flag that I hope people wake up themselves regarding trendy practices labeled as Buddhist.

I would never ever encourage people to go to extremes, it's not a contest, the world is not ending, Buddha dharma is preserved, propagated and protected by Sangha who value it. And Sangha who also practice Pure Land methods moderately follow closely Buddha's teachings.

What label would you put on these photos?

2004 Dec 13 Western and Eastern robed Sangha

Ven. Hongyang 150 pounds bhikshuni and second to the left

Who is the most austere, who is the most diligent? How can you possibly know?

2002 Ven. Hongyang sramani 118 pounds, healthy weight; suffering from old back injuries told the abbot I could not lift the heavy boxes, he didn't care; accommodating me was not in play when laity needed their food or services, had to ditch the double leg braces because he made me walk 10 blocks very quickly to get to the hospital and back, then do bowing services with them on! It made more health problems and blisters on the contact points.

2005 Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering, Shasta Abbey, Ven. Hongyang 160 pounds; this was the best place I really enjoyed their place, it was filled with kind monastics! I began to trust temples again after this wonderful experience.

2013 Western Buddhist Monastic Gathering, CDR, Ven. Hongyang 190 pounds; my next favorite monastic place to visit is City of Dharma Realm a Chinese nunnery. They have a smorgasbord style of cafeteria, it was wonderfully healthy!

2014 Ven. Hongyang 196 pounds

Now I am 187 pounds, since February 8 after I got a Misfit Shine 2. I've eliminated as much processed food as I could, increased my stretching and vastly improved my sleep awareness with this tracker. It reminds me to move, interrupting my translation sessions nicely. I hope this trend continues.

My injuries stopped me from moving, all my injuries were made worse at my former temple. I could not keep up with a 30 year old strong monk, even he demanded me to acting as if I was in my 20s when I was in my mid-40s!

There is a certain amount of cruelty in Asian culture that portrays obese people as stupid or mental, it's very sad reflection on the Sangha when they engage in this kind of thinking. Behind the walls I've been aware of how people act towards me after seeing them behave towards others they called "fatty" in a supposed kindly manner, basing their perception on what they see alone, it affects whether they want to come and talk to me. This is true of the elite whites in robes as well, and it makes me wonder if that snobbery is due to elitism rather than race, since I have first hand experienced this in temples when I have visited them.

Genetics comes into play when you age at at certain point, also injuries that are permanent in my case both people can do nothing about. If your Aunt Grace or Uncle George were fat, you saw your parents get fat as they aged then the likelihood of you becoming fat may be true to some extent.

Very few people have suffered from obesity through sheer neglect while in robes. As I found out from my friends who shared a lot their weight gain comes from abuse and unhealthy temple foods that are high in salt and fat lacking in proteins and needed balance in nutrition.

Temple food culture is inherited as well. In my former tonsure temple there was too much frying, too much salt, and oil; heavy use of preserved veggies, and vinegars. I've eating in other temples and their foods while tasty are no better; unless they offer a salad bar and you can pick and choose your food choices. Smaller ones if they are Asian are very used Ito high salt and little balance in nutrition. I learned to drink gongcha in the afternoon and it helped but did not stop the effects of high salt diet.

Healthy choices are not in the control of individual Sangha unless they live in solitude and provide their own meals, even laity providing meals can be a disaster to their health. I limit meal treats out, even do not allow myself to visit and eat at anyone's homes anymore. I keep my own food simple and very low salt and it's working for me. I've a slow weight loss because of aging and injuries but I am optimistic that I can achieve my goals.

Now, I dare you to make a judgement regarding my virtue or my practice based on my looks. If you have any class you won't even try. If you have any study of Buddhism you won't be basing it on looks alone or this article. If you a good deal of common sense you won't even try based on this article.

Thursday, November 19, 2015

All possible opportunities for education given everyone without payback expected.

Respect by 4-fold assembly of host country Sangha members.

Appropriately sensitive to Sangha include celebrations that do not harm or create ethical problems for the Sangha including indigenous cultures and customs of host country.

Monthly stipend that suitable for the area and allows a fund to be used by the individual as they wish, not the home country of the ethnic founders.

Access to good internet connection to prevent isolation from family, friends, and peers. Freedom to decide online presence as long as precepts are being observed online as well. Anything harmful or illegal should be regarded as reasons to report to the law to protect the community. Politics cause problems enough so Sangha should up their security and use pass code locks on their electronics like phones and computers, even ipads,

Every Sangha member has a right to decide without pressure from a temple or individuals what to do with their own money. They can save for their own purpose, invest, donate as they see fit. If they fritter their money away how can that benefit their progress on the Path?

Freedom to receive visitors of their own approval and to leave to visit others.

Freedom to speak, visit, travel with other Sangha in good standing regardless of robes or tradition as long as the Sangha they visit are in good standing.

Freedom to speak, visit, travel with other monastic religious outside of Buddhism.

All countries, all languages, all abilities of Sangha who remain in good standing have the full ability to preserve, protect, and propagate Buddha dharma, the precepts, perform any service or transmission regardless of origin in Buddhism, participate and confer with appropriate Vinaya numbers of Sangha full ordination, Bodhisattva vows, and confer lineages either new or ancient.

This is a work in progress. It will be edited and added to or deletions as other Sangha are welcome to comment with suggestions. As this is a Sangha affair nobody else should comment.

Wednesday, September 23, 2015

I'm pretty mature in monastic age entering the age requirement for a Vinaya master, but I am becoming known through my online presence and in my meetings with other Western and Eastern people in robes. In my tradition, the Chinese Buddhist Sangha really considers more senior bhikshu and bhikshuni Vinaya masters of more than 20 rains years or exceptional younger ones.

For the myself being 11 rains as of this writing I'm among the younger ones. I've been on a 2 year Vinaya retreat with the purpose of preparing for next year being my ordination giving age of 12 years as an upadhyayani [ooh-pah-dye-ni].

I'm serious about my training, very serious about the Vinaya and those who claim to uphold it while engaging in worldly matters. I've been outspoken for years in favor of adherence to Vinaya over popularity.

The past 30 years has seen a decline of Western people in robes, many disrobing after years of being in robes. Most often complaints in meetings are of lack of support from their communities both in training and in the 4 requisites. The highest rate is claimed by the Western Tibetans, then the Western Thai/Sri Lanka Theravada monks. It's rare to see it happen in other communities like those founded by Chinese, Korean or Vietnamese.

Resilience in the face of lack of support in those issues is not reason enough to disrobe, lacking renewed robes means you need to repair the old ones and investigate into making your own.

I know American bhikshuni who has lacked such and remained in robes more than 20 years already.
Not every Sangha member around the world whether they are from a well-funded temple or not is provided enough of the 4 requisites or treated fairly being sponsored for an education or leadership roles.

We are in 163rd year of existing in the USA through the Chinese Buddhist lineages. That is young by their standards and ours. Keep hoping and keep your precepts and all will be well.

Wednesday, February 4, 2015

My autobiography has been the hardest thing to write. I'm happy I made the effort to publish many sutras before I attempted the hardest thing I have ever sat down to to do. At first I made lists, wrote snippets of my challenges and victories. I had a difficult life, not unlike your own. However, I made choices that led me to the Path. And it is too my credit that I made those beneficial decisions. All the while I mused how to bring this work to you and inspire you to knuckle down and really study while practicing Buddha dharma!

I concluded that what you need less of is personal glimpses into masters lives; something you can use is concrete examples of what works from a Sangha member who has considerable amount of time spent in robes.

I am not famous to my knowledge. I am not interested in that or in bigger, better prettier temples or to be in charge of such grandeur. I don't need the prestige nor the bother of it, unless another Sangha member is in real need then I would suffer it, and really it would be suffering the loss of my practice time and my interest translating the Tripitaka completely into English.

I support the Triple Jewel, I am pure in precepts and I have faith in Buddha's teachings. I am a senior bhikshuni in robes being true to my practice and striving to bring more practices to light in my translations of sutras and commentaries into English from the Tripitaka.

Tuesday, March 4, 2014

English Surangama Mantra:
Heroes Spell

This mantra is the Surangama Mantra, it my translation. I
am Dharma Master Hong Yang, Bhikshuni in the Chinese Buddhist tradition of
Buddhism. I have published theHeroes Spellon Amazon.com that
explains each word and gives the Sanskrit and its definition and variations of
word choice for each word. Sangha cherish this mantra never knowing its meaning
because it supports our training, we support ourselves by reciting this
mantra. Lots of commentaries have been
written regarding this mantra but nothing in English, and only smidgens of
truth have come out on its content. This mantra can be revised for individual
cultivation because it engages the mind in body, voice, and action when done daily
it is a healthy practice. The history of this mantra can be found inthe Surangama Sutra translated into
English by the Sagely City of 10,000
Buddhas and available to everyone online through their bookstore, www.cttbusa.org see their online bookstore.

Maudgalyayana (Buddha’s actual
relative) recited this mantra at Buddha’s request to recall Ananda who was
arrogant and prideful over his attainments in his cultivation decided to go to
collect alms at the house of a prostitute, he just felt he knew he would not
succumb to her charms and break his serious defeat precept of no sex. Well, he was wrong, apparently in the content
of this mantra he had a problem and was about to lose his status as a monk due
to his sexual excitement over this woman who got him inside and on her bed. Also it appears he had repeatedly done so in
risky behavior because there is a point later in the mantra where the woman who
repented and became a Bhikshuni and attained the status of arhanta from
Buddha.

So how to apply this to your life,
if you are truly Sangha and celibate in body or have no thoughts arising of
sensual or sexual nature? You apply it as a lesson learned for Ananda was
Buddha’s cousin and personal attendant, with recognized status by Buddha and
his peers in the Sangha with attainments in his own right, if he could nearly
fall and risk a parajika once committed then he would have been expelled
immediately from the Sangha and had to resume lay life then we must remember
his fault, even today. Don’t be coy, don’t
be shy. This way we uphold our Vinaya
precepts, if you are laity you uphold your lay precepts. The manner of the wording and context is the
Buddha demanding Ananda return or be at risk of being expelled if he commits
sexual intercourse, and he is mad. He
has harsh words to say to Ananda, very direct, explicit to the actions he has
been seen doing by the community. As a
Vinaya precept holder myself I understand the style and harshness, it’s
necessary at such risk for an expulsion and the harm is great to the young
community around Buddha himself. If you
want to reprint this you must contact me, it’s copyrighted and I will enforce
it. I’ve worked long and hard at this and this is only poste for you to study
not to reprint. Sangha monastics who
intend to study this may contact me as I plan to form a Sangha only study group
on this in the hopes you can be inspired to translate yourselves. For my published books click on this on amazon.com list. Dharma Master Hong Yang

At that
time the World Honored, from his crown, surged a 100 Jeweled lights. The lights within these surged outward.

Precious
1000 petal lotuses, in each one transformed Buddhas.

Sitting
on these precious flowers, their crowns releasing the 10 Paths.

100
precious lights, each one radiant, all of them now revealed.

As many
as there are grains of sands. Buddha’s inner
disciples are lifting thunderbolts and staffs on their mountains, all over to
the edges of space. The Great Assembly their faces raised observed, in awe and
admiration, they asked Buddha to pity them and to help. Eager to listen to Buddha. An invisible crown appears on his head called
Sending a Light Arrived. Who proclaimed and spoke this spirit spell:

Guarding Venerable you are wicked-minded! You formed a crown bump you return
immediately! Great at defying and
driving me away! Sir, you are defying
and driving me away by your bad luck!
Lotus, we were sittingtogether,
we three here are eager for your return!
Warrior try to attain!

Encouragement and call to act.

Great resolute smashing the three worlds!
Lucky and pleased with your
sitting, Venerable the “I” is now whole so keep the desire for liberation!

(Now here its usual is to call
names of lay people & disciples {name(s)})

Protecting
the forest Venerable now a complete a desire for liberation!

(At this point call previous
disciples’ names)

Heroes Spell, Section Four lines 273-332

Overcoming
section.

Venerable nature overcoming I bow to conduct!

You wild foolish, radiant, kinsman a monk polite,
with a bowl so lively and active. Your
memory knowing; fear knowing, dread the memory, of cutting off and cessation with your laughing and giggling; so immature, young, simple, ignorant, and
oblivious to overcoming!

World desire less, the sky, the light, the gift of
a full-moon. A lover is worldly when you
are in fever and tormented, it’s so savage; and dimwitted. A good path surpassing it all is helpful and
seeds generations!

Scolding & public shame section.

Fire, water such a rash hero who is cowardly. You make it by begging
and to help your honor are three guardians; mighty Lotus in my town and
community I am powerful. You bloated
speedy ghost carrying such useful means in talking you are exceedingly
mighty. Reason it child be great at
intending to cross a river!

Binding
final section.

Knowledge is binding me; country is binding me;
distant is binding me. It is giving
me willpower.

Yes,fire
results in crossing; I am welding a thunderbolt; I am resolute; I have a crown bump;

I had a great past life, I am deeply aware that this playing is known to make a
lesser birth. I am joining
in binding; I am resolute, I praise my pact; I am brilliant I am trained to
bear all equally and so it is!